suprunp
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2011
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Ukrainian
- Home Country
- Ukraine
- Current Location
- Ukraine
I've been told that in such kind of phrases as:
Harry, emerging from his crumbling house clad in ivy, saw the postman.
clad in ivy most probably modifies Harry and not crumbling house.
If it were crumbling house that was clad in ivy I might expect:
Harry, emerging from his crumbling ivy-clad house, saw the postman.
This is the way (some? most?) native speakers see this kind of sentences.
Do you see it in the same way and, what is most important, what is the underlying reason, if at all, that clad in ivy does not modify house? Is there any rule that forbids it to do so?
Thanks.
Harry, emerging from his crumbling house clad in ivy, saw the postman.
clad in ivy most probably modifies Harry and not crumbling house.
If it were crumbling house that was clad in ivy I might expect:
Harry, emerging from his crumbling ivy-clad house, saw the postman.
This is the way (some? most?) native speakers see this kind of sentences.
Do you see it in the same way and, what is most important, what is the underlying reason, if at all, that clad in ivy does not modify house? Is there any rule that forbids it to do so?
Thanks.